Dear Editor:
A couple of weeks ago, we had the pleasure of driving to the Yukon. We stopped for gas in Radium, Lake Louise, Prince George, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Dease Lake and Stewart. What Dease Lake and Prince Rupert have in common is that they were the only places we filled up at that had gas that was more expensive than Radium.
Your challenge: look up on Google Maps to see where Stewart, B.C. is (Stewart is a beautiful place and I would highly recommend a visit) and tell me why gas there would be cheaper than Radium? It cant be a gas war as there is only one gas station. As one of the station owners in the valley said: I asked the distributor why you fill up my tanks and then drive an hour to Cranbrook to fill up theirs but I pay eight cents more? His response: It is a different market, which is another way of saying there is no competition.
I wonder if I am the only one to realize that the only independent gas station in the valley is also the only one that fills your tank and washes your windows?
How are they the only ones that can afford that? The sad part is that the gas distributors will read this and laugh as they know there is nothing we can do about it.Free enterprise is obviously not working here. Maybe it is time to have a gas Co-op.
Dave Rae
Fairmont Hot Springs
